Do You Need a Vent Hood for Commercial Dishwasher?
Dishwashers are a large investment for any foodservice operation, so many look to cut corners where they can while still obtaining a durable, quality unit. While trying to save some pennies, many turn to cutting back on accessory units in order to keep within their budgets. When it comes to a dishwasher, the first accessory unit that owners look at is the vent hood. So the question begs to be asked, ‘Do I really need to have a vent hood for my dishwasher?’
First, it behooves one to know what the vent hood actually does for the dishwasher. High-temp, door type dishwashers require a vent for the steam or water vapor emitted when the door is opened. Without a hood to gather the steam output, your kitchen in essence becomes a type of sauna in the summertime! By foregoing the vent hood, you save money upfront, but you’ll inevitably be paying that money over time in air conditioning bills. In fact, many areas require that you install a vent hood with your dishwasher to begin with. That is, unless you purchase a ventless model.
Ventless models of dishwashers are the way of the future. Since there is no vent, there is no need for ductwork for the ventilation hood, saving you approximately $3,500 in vent installation costs and $776 per year in HVAC operating costs. For restaurants and foodservice establishments with a capital on space, not requiring a hood vent can be beneficial as well!
And the energy recovery system helps you save additional money each day by taking advantage of the heat energy that the machine already generates—heat that would otherwise simply be vented outside. How about a "free" hot water source to supplement your hot water producing equipment. It's a very serious amount that a 100-150 seat restaurant can "keep in your pocket".
How Does A Hood Dishwasher Work?
Hood-type dishwashers are also known as dome dishwashers. They are perfect for commercial food service establishments and institutions. You can clean dishes linearly at a comfortable position and a working height with hood-type commercial dishwashers. Hood-type dishwashers also offer a prewash table and basket exit for greater convenience. For usage, the dishwasher hood is lifted first, then a basket of dirty dishes is inserted, and the hood is lowered. Once the utensils are cleaned, the hood is lifted again to extract clean dishes, and the next basket of dirty dishes is loaded for cleaning. Hood-type dishwashers are perfect for cleaning crockery, glassware, and cutlery. Some specific hood dishwashers are designed to clean pans, trays, and pots. These come equipped with a larger hood opening and the ability to change the pressure of wash arms.
What Type of Hood is Required over a Professional Dishwasher?
There are primarily two types of hood systems available for commercial kitchens - Type I and Type II.
Type I hoods are designed for cooking equipment to remove heat, smoke, grease, and condensation. They are also known as grease hoods. Type I hoods are mostly used for removing greasy air from ranges, cooktops, stoves, and fryers. Type I hoods are not used for dishwashers.
According to Internation Mechanical Code(IMC), Type II hoods should be used over dishwashers and appliances. Type II hoods, also known as condensate hoods, remove the excess heat generated by dishwasher machines. They remove the extra heat from the air, creating a comfortable kitchen environment. Some highly advanced kitchen hoods come equipped with a ‘condensate baffle’. A ‘condensate baffle’ catches the extra condensation or moisture from the hood's duct and prevents the moisture from falling onto the equipment.
Factors to Consider when Choosing Hood Type Dishwashers
Hood-type dishwashers are highly versatile and efficient. Purchase hood dishwashers that are suitable for your kitchen. While purchasing a dishwasher for your establishment, look beyond the ‘best price’ tag. Here is a list of essential factors that you can consider before choosing a hood type dishwasher for your restaurant:
Ease of Use Guaranteed By Innovative Technology
Most high-quality hood-type dishwashers come equipped with innovative technology like an advanced filtering system that provides superior quality washing performance. Modern hood-type dishwashers are equipped with touch-screen and single-button operation for easy operation. Some advanced hood-type dishwashers are equipped with an automatic-hood lifting system, you can lift and lower the hood with a single switch. For greater safety, commercial dishwashers come equipped with a temperature display, a no-water indicator, a wash temperature indicator, and a rinse temperature indicator. Some are also equipped with Bluetooth compatibility. You can connect your smartphones and tablets to get real-time water, power, and chemical consumption data. With Bluetooth technology, newer software can be uploaded seamlessly. Additionally, some dishwashers come with an automatic cleaning cycle feature, where the tank is emptied along with the wash pump once the overflow and the tank filter are removed. Finally, the rinsed water is drained to prevent the formation of bacteria. Highly advanced dishwashers come with a continuous water softener that can prevent limescale formation and help you get spotless dishware.
Efficient Energy Use
High-quality hood-type dishwashers come equipped with a pre-rinse feature and heat exchanger, which significantly reduces energy bills. Most hood-type dishwashers use the steam generated by wash and rinse cycles to pre-heat the incoming water. The auto-descaling feature of commercial dishwashers increases the lifespan of the boiler, hydraulic circuit, heating elements, and washing chamber. The components last longer and consume less power over time. These highly advanced dishwashers consume less water, detergent, rinse aid, and energy. With modern hood-type dishwashers, you can save thousands of dollars per year in energy bills.
Maximal Reliability
Hood-type dishwashers are the perfect workhorses for restaurants, cafes, hospitals, hotels, and schools. Dishwashers are a significant investment for commercial foodservice establishments. Research thoroughly on build quality, life expectancy, and standard running costs. Purchase dishwashers from manufacturers known to provide superior support and after-sales service.
Hobart’s AM Select Ventless high-temp system is described as such:
A fan circulates the air from the chamber across the heat exchanger coils filled with cold water. The difference in temperatures causes the water vapor to condense and preheats the inlet water up to 140ºF, reducing the amount of energy needed to meet the required 180ºF rinse-water temperature. The energy recovery system allows the use of a coldwater supply and uses the hot-water line only once for the initial fill. After the 30-second condensing cycle is complete, the cycle indicator light signals the machine is ready for unloading, and then the process repeats.
Do yourself and your wallet a favor by considering the ventless dishwashers for your kitchen.
LENNY TELLER
Contract/Design/Engineering
CKitchen.com
E Friedman Associates
(917) 335-1127
lenny@efriedman.com
